Beau Geste showcased Laurens Ehrmann, founder of The Yard, as one of the leading figures behind this rise. The studio indeed earned a Cesar for Best Visual Effects in 2023 for Notre Dame Brûle and contributed to major productions including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, John Wick: Chapter 4, and more recently, Stranger Things 5.
But the report placed particular emphasis on the studio’s work on Predator: Badlands, described as one of the most impressive examples of France’s technical capability.
For the film, The Yard delivered an exceptionally ambitious sequence. A single four-second shot required five months of work, involving the creation of digidoubles, a complex, photorealistic digital environment, detailed camera animation for dynamic combat, atmospheric and ground simulations, intricate impact effects between swords. This sequence was portrayed as a showcase of The Yard’s precision, artistry, and ability to handle high-pressure, blockbuster-level demands.
Spotlight on the Visual Effects Society – France Section
The programme closed with a focus on the Visual Effects Society (VES) , the international organisation born in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago to unite the global community of visual-effects professionals. Today, the VES counts more than 5,000 members across the world, bringing together artists, producers, studio executives, educators and researchers — all dedicated to promoting the art, science and craft of VFX.
In France, the VES plays a growing role in helping directors better understand how VFX can elevate their projects. The report highlighted the work of the VES France Section, which regularly engages with filmmakers and industry stakeholders to encourage more ambitious use of visual effects.
On the occasion of a special screening of Predator : Badlands for the VES members, Yann Marchet — board member of VES France, as well as General Delegate of France VFX and General Delegate of the PIDS Festival— explained that French directors are increasingly open to VFX-driven storytelling, with recent examples such as Dog 51 and Infested. However, he noted that VFX still account for only about 3% of the average French film budget, a limitation the industry hopes to overcome. The VES advocates for stronger investment to enable French studios to reach and sustain true international standards. As Laurens Ehrmann noted, France has everything needed to produce a global blockbuster — skilled directors, strong storytelling, and cutting-edge VFX expertise.